FREE Email Newsletter

Daily industrial news and top headlines for plant and maintenance managers

Seekonk Manufacturing Company, Inc. and Pro Torque Tools (Atlanta, GA) are now offering Seekonk’s line of Precision Torque wrenches, screwdrivers, and testers for delivery anywhere in the world. All of Seekonk torque products are manufactured in their Massachusetts facility, with an ISO 9001-certified commitment to quality.

Duckbill LLC (Grand Rapids, MI) has designed the MobilityMax product line of ergonomic body-borne carrying gear, which allows for users to bring their hand tools, instruments, and devices with them in a modular fashion. The MobilityMax product is a system-based approach to upgrading new, or existing, fall protection harnesses that do not interfere with the ability to carry gear.

Cooper Crouse-Hinds (Syracuse, NY) announced the introduction of its Vaporgard LED Series as a direct LED replacement for incandescent bulbs in industrial or hazardous applications. According to the company, these LEDs have 20 percent longer life than incandescent lamps, and reduce energy consumption by 85 percent.

Genie (Redmond, WA), a Terex brand, is launching a new series of 69”-wide rough terrain scissor lifts, which includes three new models: GS™-2669 RT, GS™-3369 RT and GS™-4069 RT. According to the company, the redesign has increased capacity and improved jobsite performance.

NEW YORK (AP) — In a note to investors Monday, Barclay's Capital analyst Brian Johnson suggested that Detroit automakers could gain some sales in the coming months because of earthquake-related supply shortages at their Japanese rivals.
THE OPINION: Johnson said Toyota Motor Corp., Honda Motor Co.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Diamond Foods Inc. is buying Procter & Gamble Co.'s Pringles chips business in a $1.5 billion deal, the biggest in a string that have given the maker of Pop Secret popcorn and Kettle chips a steadily growing share of the snack aisle.
The deal also completes P&G's exit from all its major food businesses.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Rhode Island may enlist some high-tech help in the fight against texting while driving: a device that jams most cell phone capabilities when a vehicle's engine is running.
A state lawmaker has proposed legislation to require those caught texting while driving to install such a device.

DETROIT (AP) — General Motors Co. is rewarding its top executive with shares currently worth more than $1.3 million.
In a filing Monday with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, GM said it gave Chairman and CEO Dan Akerson 42,360 stock units on March 31 as part of his compensation package.

COLUMBUS, Ind. (AP) — Cummins Inc. says it plans to hire 2,500 workers in the U.S. this year.
The Columbus-based engine manufacturer says it is hiring across the board to meet strong demand worldwide and in anticipation of an economic recovery.
A company spokesman tells The Columbus Republic that it's too soon to know how many of the 2,500 jobs will be added in Columbus.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Texas Instruments Inc. is buying National Semiconductor for $6.5 billion in a marriage of two of the world's premier makers of analog chips, which are widely used in electronics to transform signals such as sound into digital form that computers can understand.
In scooping up National Semiconductor, TI is getting a storied Silicon Valley company whose history stretches back more than 50 years and is known for its power-management chips.

Recently, I stood before a plant management team sharing labor strategies that could help resolve some serious cost problems associated with inefficient shift schedules. The plant manager talked about some of their greatest achievements. Number one was keeping their overtime below 5 percent. Corporate listed low overtime as a key performance indicator, and minimizing it was critical to plant bonuses.

You work in one of the most sensitive production areas in a large chemical plant. The concern is that no contaminants be introduced into the work area, including stray tools and equipment. Or you’re standing on the walkway above a large newspaper-printing press—and time is money.

Green Bay Packaging’s Coated Products Operations division has implemented a strategy that not only makes environmental sense, but also financial cents.
The Green Bay Packaging Inc. Coated Products Operations division coats, laminates, and slits pressure-sensitive label materials in Titletown—also known as Green Bay, WI (It was just in February that the Green Bay Packers football team won the Super Bowl, after all).

As distasteful as it may seem to some students and parents, working with your hands may be a good alternative in this changing economy. When you look around, people still are needed to fix your car, rewire or paint your house, fix your broken power lines, teach you to play the piano, and bypass your clogged arteries.

One of the company’s machining centers, which create precision parts for customers in a variety of markets.
“People want product as soon as possible. The days of six, eight, 12-week lead times just don’t exist any more. We have more customers knocking on our door saying, ‘Okay, you said two weeks, but can we get it in a week?’ That really changes things.

Imagine the following scenario: One of your plant floor employees has just had their eye or skin exposed to a caustic chemical, which needs to be immediately flushed from contact. Per OSHA regulations, you should already have an eye washing station or emergency shower on the plant floor, which the employee should be familiar with.

Once upon a time the term “Made in America” stood for something: pride, jobs, and quality. However, we have become a society of increasing consumer demand, which led to a notable decrease in quality at manufacturers worldwide. IMPO sat down with Dyadem president and CEO Kevin North for a look at what manufacturers can do to improve quality while remaining cost efficient.

Sometimes, things that seem factual are not exactly true. Here are a few examples relating to inventory:
When I was a materials manager the auditors would declare that we had taken a “good inventory” at year-end when the amount of positive variances was counterbalanced by an equal amount of negative variances.

The sustainable model of switching out smaller modules rather than replacing an entire conveyor allows organizations to remain within their eco-efficient standards and retain smaller carbon footprints, while doing so at lower costs than standard conveyor technology allows.
Since the beginning of the industrial revolution, the focus in the manufacturing arena has been directed towards doing things smarter, cheaper, and faster.

At 62 years old, I am pretty hard to surprise — or shock for that matter. My sense of humor is numb, according to my 20-something children. (“Children” is surprisingly appropriate given the current generation of young people whose primary effort in life seems to be focused on extending their childhood into middle age.